New Delhi: Well-known Muslim cleric and scholar Sufiyan Nizami has objected to the Yogi Adityanath government's plan to introduce a dress code for Madrassa students.

Questioning the need for bringing a change in the traditional attire worn by students in Madrassas, Sufiyan Nizami told ANI, "Dress code for all the Madrassas & colleges that are running in this country is not decided by the govt. It is decided by the managing committee of that institution. So, why such discrimination against the Madrassas?"

Earlier, a PTI report said that the Uttar Pradesh government has mooted a new dress code for Madrassa students to end their "demarcation" from other school pupils. The state government is yet to disclose the new dress code for Madrassa students.

"The aim of the UP government is to bring Madrassa at par with other educational institutions in every sense. Till now, students in Madrassa have been wearing 'kurta-pyjamas' but now this dress code will make it more formal... We might also try to meet the expenses," said State Minister for Muslim Waqf and Haj Mohsin Raza

Stressing that it is only the BJP-led governments which have done justice with the minorities, the minister said the other political parties have been considering them as only a vote-bank. Raza said the current dressing style of Madrassa students reflects a clear demarcation between them and the students of other schools which will come to an end now.

The state government has already gone ahead with its plans to introduce NCERT books in the Madrassa of Uttar Pradesh in a bid to bring their students at par with their counterparts in other schools and to modernise the education in Madrassas affiliated to the State Madrassa Board.

"Till now, students in Madrassas wear white kurta-pyjama, which reflects a particular faith. We will very soon propose a new dress code for them," the minister said.
He, however, refused to elaborate as to what the new dress code would be.

"Our intentions are absolutely clear as we work with transparency and believe in sabka saath, sabka vikas", he said adding that Prime Minister wanted to integrate the Muslim society with the country's mainstream with a Quran in one hand and a laptop in the other.

"Madrassas students are already availing religious education, we are not going to hamper it, we are only going to impart them social education to integrate them with the country's mainstream and help them go to the IIMs or the IITs and clear competitive examinations," he said.